U.S. to Withhold Some Funds from Israel

Reuters ^ | 9-15-03

[PatrioticCowboy]

U.S. to Withhold Some Funds from Israel

Mon September 15, 2003 04:24 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Monday it planned to withhold some funds from Israel because of its settlement activities in Palestinian areas.

The deductions would come from a $9 billion package of U.S. loan guarantees to help Israel weather a deep recession and fiscal crisis.

But administration officials said they have yet to decide whether to penalize Israel for building a fence through the West Bank. Congressional aides doubted the White House would carry out that threat.

Under legislation authorizing the loan guarantees, the United States would deduct from the face value of the loan guarantees an amount equal to any Israeli spending on settlement activities in Palestinian areas.

An administration official said those deductions were consistent with past U.S. policies. He did not specify an amount that would be deducted or when it would take place.

"We can't preclude any deductions (for fence construction). That is still a matter for discussion," the official added.

President Bush has called the fence "a problem" because it makes it hard to develop a contiguous Palestinian state.

Israel and its allies in Congress argue that expenditures on the security fence should not be deducted from the loan guarantees.

Israel wants the barrier -- in sections a concrete wall and in others metal fencing -- to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers. Palestinians describe it as a new "Berlin Wall" that grabs territory they want to be part of an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israel and its allies in Congress argue that expenditures on the security fence should not be deducted from the loan guarantees.

Bush on Monday designed Secretary of State Colin Powell to oversee the loan program.

[PatrioticCowboy]

Israel is a bastion of enlightened pro-Western thinking in a dark area of the world.

Israel must stand strong, and our nation should help them to do so

[PatrioticCowboy]

That is totally sad.

Our leaders are trying to force Israel to appease a mad-man.

We need to pray daily for Israel.

[PatrioticCowboy]

I hope that Dubya ain't emulating his grandfather Prescott Bush.

Prescott was a major backer of Nazi Germany before, and during the war.

Lets us pray daily for Dubya and Powell to do the right thing for Israel.

May God bless Israel and keep her shining her light of hope in that dark area of the world.

[PatrioticCowboy]

ISM = radical terrorist-coddlers

[PatrioticCowboy]

Israel is perfectl capable of wiping out Radical Islam all by itself, if only our government would back them and not handicap them

[sam]

The holocaust was horrible, but what do the pictures showing the horrible events in Europe have to do with the Palestinians?

[PatrioticCowboy]

perfectl = perfectly

I apologize for the typo

[pollywog]

This is when I begin to pull away from BUSH!!! This is sad. Real sad. Can anyone say " double standards"?????

[pollywog]

I suggest a MAJOR FREEPING of the WHITE HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MississippiMan]

It would appear that Bush just flat out doesn't believe what the Bible has to say about those who bless and curse Israel. Gonna be really ironic if the first president in a long time to publicly profess Christianity, winds up being the one who brings the REAL wrath of God down upon us. Has anyone noticed the general condition of those countries who continually oppose her? Do we really want to continue to align ourselves with them?

MM

[Napoleon Solo]

So which administration butt boy will be responsible for being the spokesman on this distressing bit of news? And to make matters worse, they put Colinscopy Powell in charge of watching over the loan guarantees? What a crock of bull$hite!! We couldn't care less about terrorism and the terrorists especially if they descend on Israel. We probably couldn't care if they come over here by the way we watch our borders and the various entry places into the USA.

[Napoleon Solo]

BTW, these are loan guarantees which Israel always repaid. The US doesn't need to forgive the loans since they have been paid back. Show me any other country that has repaid its US loans like the Israeli's have. Most countries just have their hand out for our generous giving and we get back zilch, nada, nicks, zero in return from the rest of our "friends".

Let's leave the Israeli's alone and let them do what we don't really have the guts to do and that is to take out the leadership of terror groups. If the Israeli's had Osama cornered in a 40 square mile area, you can be sure that they would find a way to take him out and bring his head back on a wooden stake along with his followers.

[Napoleon Solo]

BTW, these are loan guarantees which Israel always repaid. The US doesn't need to forgive the loans since they have been paid back. Show me any other country that has repaid its US loans like the Israeli's have. Most countries just have their hand out for our generous giving and we get back zilch, nada, nicks, zero in return from the rest of our "friends".

Let's leave the Israeli's alone and let them do what we don't really have the guts to do and that is to take out the leadership of terror groups. If the Israeli's had Osama cornered in a 40 square mile area, you can be sure that they would find a way to take him out and bring his head back on a wooden stake along with his followers.

[Calpernia]

I wouldn't call it appease. It is more of a game of chess. Don't forget, you don't know all the intel our leaders know that they are making their moves on.

[Calpernia]

>>>Prescott was a major backer of Nazi Germany before, and during the war

If we backed Nazi Germany; then how did we defeat them?

[Calpernia]

>>>Israel is perfectl capable of wiping out Radical Islam all by itself,

Maybe they can handle policing the terrorists around their immediate area. But they aren't the only players in this little game of war.

[winker]

I have preached this for years and like the post above yours; The Whitehouse and don't forget the State Department in our major Freeping effort. You are right on in your assessment of Jehovah God and his commands of Genesis 12:2. Believe me and you when we say we must somehow get this message through or we have had it! Jehovah is not pleased with all this and the sooner we get it right the better!

[putupon]

Our leaders are trying to force Israel to appease a mad-man

And supported Admin Moderator sympathizer who pulls the same set of pics that have been posted on a dozen different threads.

[RangerHobbit]

Dear President Bush,

Israel is an island of DEMOCRACY in a sea of despots. Get the hell off the national wallet and anti up some badly needed help. Do it now!